You are in for a treat! For the first time ever, my blog will have the description and viewpoint given from another person. Their words and interpretations on my photography. While each photo usually has special meaning to the photographer taking them, it is always interesting to hear that story from another person.
Oh and if you missed the video I put together on this you can find it here.
Guest Blogger: Alicia DiCello
I hate running. I have a vivid memory of 6th grade gym class when Dr. Keller, the gym teacher, made us run a 200 yard dash on a path behind St. Agatha School. I remember him saying, “Eyes, pockets, eyes, pockets” as he moved his arms in a running motion. He was trying to describe how with bent elbows your hands should pass by your eyes and then your pockets for proper sprinting form.
I was the slowest one in my group of 6th graders who ran the 200 yard dash that day. And I hated every minute of it. I’ll spare you the story, but I can attribute most of my change of heart to my best friend Kathy Krummen. After meeting her in high school sometime during sophomore year, she encouraged me to get into cross country. While attending the same college, she was my triathlon buddah. Without her support and guidance, I would have never been able to do my first triathlon… and certainly not an ironman. Kathy, Dan, and my family were there to cheer me on for my first ironman in Arizona this past November. It was only fitting that Dan and I were there for Kathy’s first this past weekend.
Ironman triathlon = 2.4 mile swim + 112 mile bike + 26.2 mile run. One heck of a day. I think one of the best qualities of Dan’s photography is his ability to capture moments. Split seconds in time. Memories. As you can imagine, Ironman is a day FULL of emotions.
For these athletes, it is still the wee hours of the morning.
Wherever they are in their lives, and however they got to the starting line of an ironman, it’s starting at this moment.
This is just the beginning of the task at hand: to swim, bike and run your body over the course of 140.6 miles.
It’s one chaotic moment right when the gun goes off and everyone starts swimming at once.
It takes a good couple hundred yards for everyone to space out. Before that point, there’s lots of kicking and clobbering.
Among the chaos, there comes a point when you (as a swimmer) settle into a groove and start to enjoy the moment.
Notice the spectators here. You would not believe the amount of support at these races.
Friends and family gather from across the country to cheer on their athletes. As an athlete, knowing you’re going to see them at
certain points helps to push on when you’re miles and miles away questioning why you thought this was a good idea in the first place.
Paul came too fast and we missed him. Sorry, Paul! Maybe if you didn’t ride so fast! Kidding 
But we caught Kathy.
Love the smile though as she passed us her only words were, “My stomach es no bueno.” That didn’t stop her!
Dan captured some great shots of Kaylyn coming through on lap one. She’s such a stud.
Here, Dan has caught Kathy running finishing loop two of three on the marathon run. In efforts to be green,
the Vineman 2010 race was trying to go without cups. So last minute Kathy decided to run with the Camelback.
Here’s Paul heading to the finish line.
The final steps of dragging his body across 140.6 miles. Imagine all the moments leading up to this one!
It’s amazing to watch one of these races in person. You wouldn’t believe the
athletes and abilities you see. It makes your mind wander and dream big.
For some people, just doing an ironman isn’t enough. We decided the man racing in a maid costume wore it to make him go faster.
Cause if you’re a man in a skirt and corset, you better at least be fast! And as for the woman in the frilly tutu,
she told Kathy during the race that she knew she wasn’t going to win, so she may as well have fun with it!
I love this one. Paul has just lapped Kaylyn on the run. As she goes out for her FINAL lap, Dan and I cheer her on.
She looks over and says, “It hurts, Alicia! It hurts!” Yet she manages to squeak out a smile
Kathy Krummen, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!
Kathy with her brother and his family
What do you do when you race an ironman on Saturday in the wine country?
You go wine tasting with all your cheerleaders on Sunday!